Australian teens under 16 may soon find themselves legally locked out of social media. In Government’s bid to protect children from mental health issues arising out of social media, Australian government is now set to enact one of the world’s strictest social media age limits. The government is now looking to put a a ban on children under 16 from accessing platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the legislation on Thursday.
The bill, which the Albanese government is set to introduce in the parliament this November, will mandate social media companies to enforce the age restriction, holding them accountable rather than parents or young users. The legislation will enter parliament later this year, and will come into effect a year after lawmakers ratify it. This could set a precedent, as countries like the U.K. and Norway have also moved toward age restrictions for social media, but have encountered several challenges.
“Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Albanese told reporters in Canberra on Thursday, pledging to introduce legislation later this month. “The onus will be on social media platforms to demonstrate they are taking reasonable steps to prevent access. The onus won’t be on parents or young people. There’ll be no penalties for users.”
It is likely that this proposal shall come to pass, especially since it already enjoys broad bipartisan support in Australia’s parliament. Shadow Communications Minister David Coleman endorsed the policy, calling it “a step forward in youth protection” and that the use of social media by underage users is “one of the defining issues of our era.” “We want to make sure that the legislation is strong and that there aren’t loopholes,” he said, adding, “We don’t think that TikTok can be made safe for children, we do not think that Snapchat can ever be made safe for children, and we don’t think that Instagram can be safe for children.”
This policy comes as a response to concerns about the effects of social media on mental health, especially among adolescents. According to research, there are a variety of risks associated with young people’s exposure to social media content, ranging from body image issues to online bullying and addictive behaviors. “Social media is doing harm to our kids and I’m calling time on it,” Albanese announced at a news conference, adding that the policy aims to protect the younger users from the influence of digital algorithms and online pressures.
A minimum age for social media of 16 years will make a difference. pic.twitter.com/VfNSY17hsg
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 6, 2024
Once the new policy comes into effect, the onus will be on social media companies like Meta to enforce the age ban (which puts quite some pressure on them), according to Albanese. They will be required to implement strict age-verification systems, as well as face financial penalties for non-compliance. “Social media companies have been put on notice,” Rowland said, adding that the platforms are repeatedly “falling short,” and that they “need to ensure their practices are made safer.”
In order to ensure that this verification is done properly, several kinds of technologies are being tested. This includes third-party verification and biometric scanning – something that has attracted the criticism of several quarters. Sceptics argue that current age-verification systems are often unreliable and prone to circumvention. Advocacy groups like 36Months have welcomed the legislation, while the Australian Child Rights Taskforce, warns that the policy may be “too blunt an instrument” to address the issues young people face online. The taskforce also urged the government to consider imposing “safety standards” instead of an outright ban.
